An Ode to the Monsters

Dark nights filled with spooky Halloween tales—how did this eerie holiday come to be? And where did its most iconic symbols arise? All the legends of the monsters and spirits that haunt us this season.

Kendall Jenner as a fembot, via IG @kendalljenner

The spirit of Halloween isn’t found in quirky costumes or imitating gory snacks, but rather in the darkest of tales, whispered in hushed tones and steeped in fear. This tradition holds a deep, often overlooked, significance, with a chilling history and spooky cultural roots. The origins of Halloween can be traced back over 2,000 years to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, celebrated in what is now Ireland, the UK, and northern France. It marked the end of the harvest and the beginning of winter—a time when the boundary between the living and the dead was believed to be at its thinnest—which is no surprise; the air is thick with a spooky essence around this time. During these festivals, bonfires were lit, and costumes were worn to ward off spirits. As Christianity spread, the night of October 31st became known as All Hallows’ Eve, or Halloween. But while this origin story is fascinating, there’s yet more to uncover. A time of the dead, the witches, their cats, the restless spirits, and hey, what’s with all the pumpkins?

#Respect the Dead

Halloween is drenched in the presence of the dead; they are everywhere—skeletons, ghosts, cemeteries, the afterlife really has its moment during this celebration. But the focus is on honoring the dead during this time when the boundary between life and death is allegedly at its thinnest. But, as always, the living must tread carefully. To protect ourselves, we dress up in an attempt to disguise ourselves from the spirits. Now, this tradition dates all the way back to the Celts—that’s a long time ago, so clearly, it must’ve worked. Although the difference between their costumes and what we wear today is, well, staggering. Today, our costumes drip in commercialization and creativity as compared to horror and gore. The Celts, however, seriously took it seriously and wore crude disguises made from animal skins and whatever materials they could find to confuse malevolent spirits. But the root of it all, the attempt to disguise themselves, was grounded in the belief that dressing up would prevent them from being recognized by the wandering spirits. Now, that is some serious respect for the dead. Halloween is more than just glorifying the macabre—it’s a tradition deeply grounded in respect and honoring the dead. In an attempt to protect the living, the living must blend with the dead.

Burn ‘em

Moving from the core of the tradition, to an unwavering, often flying, symbol of this night—witches. They’re everywhere on Halloween and have always been key figures in its lore. However, the significance of these flying icons does vary slightly. In Europe, witches were believed to have special powers, like communicating with the dead or controlling wandering spirits. But instead of befriending and celebrating these mystical abilities, societies demonized witches. Instead, they became symbols of rebellion, danger, and female power—you guessed it, just the kind of thing to make patriarchal societies shake in their boots. So, witches became the enemy. We’re all familiar with the endless stories of witch trials, and though each culture had its own approach, there was one thing they all agreed on: witches needed to be executed. They’ve long been portrayed as dark, mysterious figures in Western folklore, and during Halloween, they’ve taken on an even bigger role, symbolizing the eerie, the unknown, and the otherworldly. So, witches remain. Possibly because they make such great costumes—embodying magic, fear, and most importantly, offering a disguise from those evil spirits.

Don’t Cross the Cats

Nothing is more loyal than a black cat to a witch. Eternally linked together, they are a true power duo—an enduring symbol of Halloween. Black cats were believed to be witches' helpers, aiding them in their magical tasks. As if they weren’t mysterious enough, some legends even suggest that witches could turn into black cats themselves. Unfortunately, no creature has a worse reputation than a black cat. Long seen as omens of bad luck, particularly in Europe, they’ve suffered from their association with witches. And what a shame. The combination of superstition and their connection to witchcraft gave black cats a reputation that no amount of good PR could fix. But over time, we’ve warmed up to these mysterious creatures. Rather than being looked down upon, they are now seen as cute little witch companions, even having made their way onto all sorts of Halloween decorations. Even better, black cats have found a place in costumes too—half bad-luck charm, half witch’s helper, deemed to confuse the spirits.

What’s with All the Ghosts?

Speaking of spirits, let’s talk about ghosts, ‘cause what’s with all the ghosts? They’re everywhere on Halloween. Ghosts are the ultimate Halloween symbol. At the heart of the holiday are the souls of the dead, believed to walk the earth on this night—yep, yep, we’ve heard all this before. But the presence of these spirits is both a blessing and a curse. While some people wanted to honor their deceased loved ones, others feared these ghosts, and for good reason. Many believed that ghosts could influence the living, bringing misfortune, destruction, and harm. To protect themselves, people made offerings and performed rituals to ward off the evil spirits. So, next time you find yourself stuck in a haunted house, maybe throw a little offering to the ghosts, and who knows, they might just leave you alone. Ghosts have come to play such a prominent role in Halloween because they represent the thin line between life and death. In fact, they embody it, constantly hovering between both worlds, communicating with both sides. This duality is why we both fear and respect ghosts, treading carefully on Halloween to avoid the wrath of any wandering spirit.

Not Another Cute Pumpkin

Nothing screams Halloween quite like the decorations. But what have these decorations become? Cute and adorable, decorative pieces, unleashing calm sensations rather than fear. And I’ll admit, I’m guilty too. The other day, in the name of tradition, I carved a pumpkin, and guess who did in fact carve a cute-looking pumpkin as opposed to one dripping in gore? Yours truly. But let’s be honest, isn’t it sometimes the cute things we should fear the most? Regardless, pumpkins are, and always have been, the it-girl of Halloween. But with a tradition steeped in gore and the eerie, how did this happen? Well, it all goes back to the legend of Stingy Jack. And the tale goes like this. Jack was a drunkard from Ireland who tricked the devil not once, but twice. When meeting with the devil, he convinced the devil to drink with him, whereafter he tricked the devil to turn himself into a coin to pay for their drinks, then trapped him by placing the coin next to a silver cross, preventing him from changing back. They struck a deal: the devil wouldn’t claim Jack’s soul for ten years. When the devil returned a decade later, Jack tricked him again, this time by trapping him up in a tree and carving a cross into the tree trunk, once again trapping him. Another deal was made—Jack would live a bit longer. Eventually, though, Jack died. Because of all his trickery, the devil didn’t want him in hell, so he threw a burning coal at Jack and told him to find his own way. And so, unable to enter either heaven or hell, he started wandering. Jack carved out a turnip, placed the coal inside, and wandered the earth for eternity, doomed to never rest—talk about wanting to reach the destination rather than enjoy the journey. And so, he became forever known as Jack o’ Lantern. Nowadays, pumpkins represent the harvest season, and we carve them to ward off evil spirits—or, almost more importantly in our modern age, for their cute visual appeal. Nothing says Halloween quite like a carved pumpkin, after all.

These days, a lot of the spooky tales surrounding Halloween seem to have been overshadowed by promiscuous costumes and wild nights out. Even trick-or-treating, which originated from the practice of ‘souling’—where the poor would visit homes asking for food in exchange for prayers—has turned into a playful night of kids dressing up and collecting sweets. But that’s the way of traditions—they evolve and adapt. Halloween is no exception. Today, it’s a blend of various influences, centered around activities like carving pumpkins, exploring haunted houses, and, of course, attending parties. Unsurprisingly, these events drip in commercialization, with costumes from our favorite characters from whatever-show-or-movie is trending. So, in a holiday like Halloween, with such deep origins and cultural significance, the question arises—should we hold onto these stories and traditions, or let them evolve with the times? Is it possible for Halloween to strike a balance, honoring the past while embracing modern fun?